The Federal Police (PF) launched on Thursday (20) the Gold Rush operation – which investigates a money laundering scheme in seven Brazilian states. The PF fulfilled 18 search and seizure warrants and blocked more than R$ 118 million of those investigated, as determined by the 4th Federal Court of Roraima.
The authorities are investigating the actions of those involved in Amapá, Amazonas, Minas Gerais, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and São Paulo, who would use the gold trade taken from illegal mining in Roraima and smuggled into Venezuela. The suspicion is that more than R$ 300 million were transferred in 20 states.
The investigations began after the PF analyzed the financial intelligence report of one of those involved, who was arrested for drug trafficking, and discovered that a phantom jewelry store located in Roraima, would have moved more than R$ 200 million in five years.
The aforementioned company was also used to receive the money from the sale of illegal gold from the investigated from other states and would be operated by an orange of the leader of the group. The criminals pretended to obtain the gold legally, as if they had bought it in small quantities from migrants from that country who arrived in Brazil.
The police identified regular business with suspicious transactions made with an urban cleaning service company, which would have deposited more than R$ 3 million for the scheme.
Those involved can answer for the crimes of money laundering, smuggling, illegal extraction of mineral resources and usurpation of Union assets, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a fine.
Source: CNN Brasil
